Chapter 2

When I was twelve, I mastered the magic of clairvoyance.

It’s quite a difficult magic, you know. “A genius once in a hundred years,” “Aronia’s legacy, indeed, impressive, impressive,” the elders would repeat every time they met me. Were they senile, I wonder?

I traced my own life through clairvoyance.

Father had passed away before I could remember him, and I wanted to know what kind of person he was. He didn’t seem to care much for children. He was always a gloomy man, buried in books.

Feeling disappointed but driven by curiosity, I traced further back in time.

I wondered what memories existed before I was even a fetus, and at that moment, I crossed a boundary and saw something impossible.

It was probably the memories of a past life.

I experienced the life of a woman from another world!

This woman was an “otaku” — someone who dreamed in imaginary worlds. She was particularly fond of a story called “Emerda and the Witch Legend,” or “Emerda” for short, which she lived for.

Surprisingly, this “anime” — a moving story — spoke about the country I lived in. My mother was depicted as the root of all evil, and I myself was the “final boss.” The woman from my past life said about me, “Oh, just die already, you damn thing! I might as well kill you myself!” How crude.

What is the causality of time and space?

Did the author of “Emerda” have the ability to predict the future of another world, or was this world born from the wishes of multiple people, or perhaps it was a prank by a god...

Finding the truth seems like a daunting task, so I decided to put it off and focus on planning for the future.

After all, in the story’s ending, I am defeated and killed by a woman named Emerda.

Even if the story doesn’t necessarily unfold as it did, it involves my life. Even if I can’t easily believe it, I can’t ignore it.

I made sure not to repeat the same evil deeds as in the original story. Repeatedly revisiting my past life has made me quite philosophical.

Secretly looking forward to a letter from Prince Rain became a source of melancholy, and I started to take my mother’s words with a grain of salt.

I won’t be manipulated or swayed by anyone.

I have lived by this vow.

Today is the day when Sonia Carnelian, the evil witch from the original story, makes her first appearance.

The mysterious girl, shrouded in a veil, goes into a rage when Prince Rain accuses her. She then reveals her mother’s sins and her own schemes in a fit of emotion. ... How foolish.

After confessing, she tries to kill Emerda out of jealousy but is stopped by the knight serving the prince, and she retreats in defeat. However, she leaves behind a parting shot and a curse on the prince.

I can’t do that.

I wouldn’t make such a ridiculous move even if offered a mountain of gold.

So I decided to twist the script early on.

“No. I have come here to marry under the alliance between King Mistria and my mother, Aronia. I have nothing to do with the crimes you speak of, Prince Rain.”

I spoke as if singing and removed my pure white veil.

My long, deep crimson hair spilled out, and my true face was revealed, causing a stir in the room.

“How beautiful...”

Someone muttered.

Of course, of course.

I have confidence in my appearance.

My fiery red hair and copper-colored eyes draw people in and hold them spellbound. In my homeland, I am known as a beauty. My skin, hair, and nails are perfectly maintained, and my figure is ideal thanks to daily effort.

The maids who helped me change and apply makeup earlier exclaimed, “You don’t look any less beautiful standing next to Prince Rain!”

How about it, Prince Rain?

Compared to the girl standing next to you, I’m not lacking, am I?

In fact, with my makeup and attire, I’m even more complete.

Prince Rain blinked repeatedly, looking stunned. His face was a bit cute, so I smiled, and his shoulders twitched. Perhaps he was flustered.

I want him to feel a bit of regret.

Still, flaunting my beauty too much isn’t virtuous.

Let’s move on with the conversation without being too boastful.

“King Mistria, it is an honor to meet you. I am Sonia Carnelian, daughter of the Red Chill Witch.”

I elegantly bowed, and the king returned the gesture with a nod.

“And to my promised prince, Rain Mistria. It is an honor to meet you. However, I am deeply disappointed. To hear such words from someone I believed to be my future partner... It is an insult not only to me but to my late mother, Aronia, which I cannot overlook.”

To prove that I have nothing to hide, I stared intently at Prince Rain.

In the original “anime,” Sonia’s face remains hidden behind a veil until the final confrontation. However, on the “net,” the voice actress for Sonia was incredibly popular, and everyone expected her to be a beautiful girl.

Indeed, my voice is often praised as “sexy and enviable.” Hehe.

... But that’s not the point. By revealing my face early, I wanted to dispel everyone’s doubts. After all, if I kept my face hidden, anything I said would seem suspicious.

The prince, slightly intimidated but encouraged by Emerda and his followers, countered.

“B-But we have evidence... witnesses. Aronia’s senior disciples said that the witch attack twenty years ago was all planned by Aronia.”

“Yes, I do not intend to deny that. My mother deceived her teacher, Jebra, and had her attack the kingdom, leading to the death of the previous King Mistria.”

“S-So you admit it. Aronia was the true evil.”

The great cathedral buzzed with murmurs.

I tried to calm them down with a gesture, and the noise gradually subsided. I wanted them to hear me out.

“No. My mother did not incite the attack out of personal desire. There was a reason.”

I turned to face the audience and spoke boldly.

“From what I understand, the previous King Mistria, fearing the power of witches, led a brutal persecution — a witch hunt. Witches were driven from their homes or executed without cause... At the time, all witches, including my mother, were angry and hated Mistria.”

It was only twenty years ago. Many of the gathered nobles remembered those times. Some nodded and bowed their heads in agreement.

“The gap between the Kingdom of Mistria and the witches grew wider, and the tension for battle increased day by day. Even without my mother’s urging, an attack on the capital would have happened eventually.”

“But even so—”

“So my mother hastened the attack on the capital. The more witches suffered under the witch hunts, the more they would think of destroying Mistria, unite, and the scale of the battle would grow. This would result in many deaths among the kingdom’s people and the witches. Or the fighting might continue until one side was completely destroyed. Don’t you agree?”

I asked, but didn’t give them a chance to respond, continuing my speech.

“By quickly eliminating the previous King Mistria, who was determined to carry out the witch hunts, and Jebra, who was the spiritual pillar of the witches, my mother lowered the rising morale for battle. My mother truly desired peace, and thus resorted to her scheme, dirtying her own hands to minimize the casualties.

... Of course, it pained her. She even said she wanted to reveal her scheme publicly. However, a savior was needed between the kingdom and the witches, and that could only be my mother. The true goal was to propose peace to prevent the witch hunts from happening again.”

I paused, but no one spoke.

The prince, Emerda, and the audience remained still, as if time had stopped.

“My mother’s illness was caused by the guilt of deceiving her teacher and killing her with her own hands, and the burden of being called a savior... The mental strain took a toll on her health.”

I lowered my eyes in a moment of sorrow and then smiled softly.

“I am truly sorry to reveal the truth in this manner. However, now that two years have passed since my mother’s death, I believe it is the right time. Let me reiterate: My mother did not plan the attack on the capital for personal gain. It was to prevent a large-scale war. ... Do you understand?”